How to Run WebGL Tests and Troubleshoot a Blank Canvas
Start browser graphics tests deliberately, distinguish WebGL from Canvas and workers, and investigate unsupported features or context loss.
GPUtest.org includes several kinds of browser demonstration. WebGL tests execute shader work through the graphics API. Other tools use JavaScript, Canvas 2D, or CPU workers. Identifying the implementation helps you interpret a result instead of assuming every animated page measures the GPU alone.
Choose a tool and read its guide
The basic volume test uses WebGL. The shader stress test, shadow test, and instancing test use WebGL 2. Their landing pages explain the workload before it starts.
Read that explanation, save other work, and select Start test. Stop with the return button or Escape. No installation or account is required. A successful run means that workload executed in the current browser conditions, not that every application will be stable.
If the canvas is blank
Check whether the page reports that WebGL or WebGL 2 is unavailable. A browser may disable acceleration because of device support, driver state, settings, or its own restrictions. Use a current browser, check its hardware-acceleration setting where applicable, and restart after changing it.
Try a simpler workload. If basic WebGL works but a WebGL 2 tool fails, the feature requirement may explain the difference. Do not increase shader load to troubleshoot missing API support.
If the page loses its context
The browser can discard a WebGL context after resource pressure or a graphics reset. Reduce texture sizes or object counts and close competing tasks. Record the page URL, settings, browser version, and console error. Test another browser or native application to determine whether the behavior is specific to the browser.
A context loss is evidence of an interrupted graphics context, not a standalone diagnosis of defective silicon.
Compare without confusing the APIs
Our Canvas animation demo updates JavaScript objects and draws them in 2D. The Worker demo executes CPU work. Their FPS includes browser and CPU scheduling. The ray tracing demo calculates rays in a WebGL fragment shader; it does not test dedicated RTX cores.
Temperature, power, physical memory capacity, and complete GPU utilization are not reported by these browser tools. Use independent telemetry for those questions.
Consult WebGL documentation and our testing methodology for capabilities and repeatability.